1. Datagrid has paging while Datalist doesn't.

2. Datalist has a property called repeat. Direction = vertical/horizontal. (This is of great help in designing layouts). This is not there in Datagrid.

3. A repeater is used when more intimate control over html generation is required.

4. When only checkboxes/radiobuttons are repeatedly served then a checkboxlist or radiobuttonlist are used as they involve fewer overheads than a Datagrid.

The Repeater repeats a chunk of HTML you write, it has the least functionality of the three. DataList is the next step up from a Repeater; accept you have very little control over the HTML that the control renders. DataList is the first of the three controls that allow you Repeat-Columns horizontally or vertically. Finally, the DataGrid is the motherload. However, instead of working on a row-by-row basis, you’re working on a column-by-column basis. DataGrid caters to sorting and has basic paging for your disposal. Again you have little control, over the HTML. NOTE: DataList and DataGrid both render as HTML tables by default. Out of the 3 controls, I use the Repeater the most due to its flexibility w/ HTML. Creating a Pagination scheme isn't that hard, so I rarely if ever use a DataGrid.

Occasionally I like using a DataList because it allows me to easily list out my records in rows of three for instance.